


Bleeding Wound, Broken Spirit

by Nebbles



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Gen, Mention of blood, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-07-31
Packaged: 2018-04-12 04:52:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4466102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebbles/pseuds/Nebbles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a horrific accident, Innes sets out to find the soldier that killed his sister. Even if he has to kill every last one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bleeding Wound, Broken Spirit

“Tana? Tana?! Don’t die on me, dammit! Keep your eyes open!” Innes clasped his sister’s hand tightly, trying to keep his breath even. “I’m sure the healers can do something!”

“It’s… it’s okay…” Tana weakly squeezed his hand. “I-I know I’m going to die—it’s okay…”

“No, no you’re not,” Innes felt his chest grow tight. This wasn’t happening. He’d lost so much of Frelia already, this would be too much to bear. “I am going to keep you alive, Tana.”

“Innes… it’s okay. I can die knowing I protected Frelia with all my might…” Tana offered a small smile at her brother. “And... you can carry our nation to victory… I know you can.”

Innes tried to ignore the blood trailing from her mouth as her breathing grew weaker. He tried to ignore her broken, beaten body splayed out on the ground. He wanted to pretend he never saw her get shot off her horse, as her body helplessly fell to the earth as the sickening crunch of her bones resonated throughout his ears. If he could just ignore it, pretend it never happened, maybe her injury was reversible. He’d get his sister back.

He’d pretend, upon L’Arachel lifting Tana’s injured form, blood didn’t decorate her uniform. That her body didn’t bend at an unnatural angle when getting her out of the crossfire. That she was going to be okay.

“L…lead Frelia to victory for me, Innes… make father proud,” Tana gave one last cough, Innes’ stomach turning at the blood that dripped down her mouth. The hand squeezing his went limp, her fingers barely brushing against his.

Innes looked up to L’Arachel, unable to mask the malice in his voice. “Why couldn’t you save her?!”

“I… there was nothing I could do…” Her usual boisterous voice was meek and defeated. “Her injuries were too severe… not even the best healers in Magvel could have—"

“Bullshit! You’ve healed everyone else in this goddamn army so far with no issues, and now you can’t?” Innes spat. “All of the sudden you’re useless?!”

“Her spine broke, Innes! I can’t fix that!” L’Arachel tightened her grip on her healing staff. “Do you think I wanted her to die? I would bring her back from the dead if I could, but I can’t! I’m sorry!”

The truth in her words meant nothing. Innes didn’t care. He was hurt, angry, and the only chance at saving his sister had fallen short. There was nothing he could direct his anger to. Innes wanted nothing more than to bring her back, but it was impossible. His grip on Tana remained tight as his stare remained fixed on L’Arachel, who fidgeted slightly as she kept the grip on her staff tight.

“…I’m so sorry, Innes…” She spoke again, voice still quiet. “I can’t imagine how much this hurts. I’m so sorry I couldn’t do anything.”

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear it right now.” Innes gently placed Tana’s body on the ground. “Watch over her. I’m finding the dastards that did this to her.”

“I-I beg pardon? You can’t go face Grado on your own! You’ll end up just like her!” L’Arachel sputtered in disbelief. “You dead won’t do her any good, Innes…”

“And letting Grado walk free will? I will make each and every one of them pay,” Innes grabbed his bow. “Stay here until I return. Make sure no one else moves her body. Only I am allowed to bury her.”

“Innes, w-wait! You can’t--!” L’Arachel wanted to give chase, but knew any further action would result in Innes’ pain worsening. She had no choice but to remain still as Innes marched into the woods. As his body melted into the myriad of trees, she kneeled by Tana’s corpse. “I… I’m so, so sorry… Eirika… how will I tell you?”

\--

Innes wasn’t sure how many Grado soldiers he’d lay waste to - they began to blend together after a point. Every Grado soldier that dared to strike him down met a swift end as his arrow pierced their body. He’d given up on using the bow; it was too much effort. It gave him more satisfaction for his hand to grip the arrow as it took away yet another Grado life. If the arrow broke, he’d just replace it with another one from his quiver. It didn’t matter. Nothing did until he found the one that murdered his sister.

He tore the bloody arrow out of yet another corpse, wiping the excess blood off the tip. Every soldier he came across was presented with the same question – why did they kill Tana? What made them think it was okay?

“Y-you! Stop right there!” Another soldier appeared at the corner of Innes’ eye. The lance in their hand shook as they surveyed the fallen bodies of their fellow soldiers. “I… you have killed enough Grado soldiers! You will pay for killing—"

“…why did you kill my sister?” Innes cut the nervous soldier off mid-sentence, his grip never faltering on the blood stained arrow. “Why did you kill Tana?” He stepped over a corpse, his pace towards the soldier never faltering. “Why?”

“I… I don’t know who that is, but you’ve done enough damage to Grado’s forces,” the soldier held the lance upright. “I can’t let you continue this—"

“I can’t let you walk knowing you’re a part of the army that murdered my sister,” Innes snarled, darting forward and grabbing the soldiers’ arm. Before the Grado solider could react, Innes plunged his arrow into their throat. The blood that was spat onto his uniform was nothing to him; that could be washed out. Innes yanked the arrow out of the soldiers’ throat as the lifeless body joined the others on the ground.

That solider didn’t kill Tana, but he would find the one who did.  
\--

Upon arrival to the scene, Ephriam could do nothing but solemnly look at Tana’s corpse. He picked up bits and pieces of what happened through L’Arachel’s tear-ridden tale before letting her sit there and weep. What he gathered was enough to know L’Arachel needed time to recover.

“I… I hate to ask you another question, but where did Innes go?” Ephriam thought he’d gone to survey the area before his arrival, but was noticing there was no sign of the Frelian prince. 

“H-he…” L’Arachel took a breath before continuing. “He… he left to find the Grado soldier who killed Tana, he took his bow and marched into the woods…”

“Al… alone?” Ephriam looked aghast. “Does he know how many soldiers are out there? Has he lost his mind?” Innes was capable fighter – Ephriam didn’t doubt his skill. However, he did worry that Innes’ current state was going to be a detriment to him surviving alone against a large enemy force. “How long ago did he leave?”

“He left before you got here…” L’Arachel wiped her eyes, taking in another shaky breath. “I-I’m sorry, I don’t know how long ago that was… it feels like it’s been ages…”

“It’s okay, L’Arachel. Stay here, I’ll find him,” he gently stroked her hair. “Make sure to stay safe and tell the others where Innes and I are if they ask, okay? I’ll be back with him, I promise.”

L’Arachel nodded, leaning into his touch before his hand pulled away. “I’ll wait. Please, come back safe… we can’t lose either of you two…”

“I promise,” he offered her a reassuring smile. “We’ll be back.”

L’Arachel watched Ephriam ride off into the woods, fighting back the twisting feeling in her stomach. They’d be back, she knew Ephriam would find Innes and everyone would be okay. Innes wouldn’t hate her anymore, Ephriam would hold her when she wept, and she’d be there to comfort Eirkia once she learned of her best friend’s fate. She would be okay.

Everything would be just fine.

\--

“What on earth happened here…” Ephriam muttered, surveying the range of corpses before him. He climbed off his horse, looking for any traces of Innes. There were hardly any arrows at the scene, minus a few broken ones splayed throughout the bloodied ground. He didn’t see any signs of Innes’ bow or quiver anywhere. His only clue of where to go was to follow the path of bodies in his wake.

He felt uneasy, but couldn’t let that deter him from finding Innes. He mounted his horse, steering it deeper into the woods. Ephriam could only hope Innes was okay, and not about to join his sister.

\--

“Why did you kill my sister?! Answer me!” Innes held the soldier against a tree, his hand gripping tightly around his neck. “I know it was you!”

“I-I to-told you—" the soldier tried to get in air, “I didn’t kill her! I don’t know who did!” 

“Liar! I know you murdered her! You shot Tana off her pegasus!” Innes procured another arrow from his quiver, tossing away the dull, bloodied one. “You deserve a fate much worse than you gave her!”

Before he could jab the arrow into the neck of the Grado soldier, Ephriam’s voice rang out from across the forest.

“Innes?! W-what are you doing?” Ephriam nearly stumbled running over to him. “What are… what have you done?” It didn’t process until now that Innes had managed to kill everyone with only a few arrows. That, somehow, his rage had quickly festered into something so horrible. “Innes, this… this isn’t going to solve anything. This isn’t going to bring her back.”

Innes jammed the arrow into the soldiers’ neck, letting his body fall to the floor. “Don’t you think I know she can’t be brought back? That she’s dead? I know this won’t bring Tana back! I don’t care if these soldiers didn’t kill her – they deserve to rot! They’re associated with the one who did kill her! If I can’t have my sister’s life back, I can at least avenge her, Ephriam!”

“What good will this do if you get killed in the process?” Ephriam attempted to keep his tone calm. “You can’t honor her death if you end up on the wrong end of a sword, Innes. You’re no good to this army dead.”

“Oh, please,” Innes didn’t feel like dealing with this. He didn’t want to have this conversation. There were more Grado soldiers out there to kill. “I refuse to die until I find him. I will drag myself through hell to avenge her. From someone who also has a sister, Ephriam, I would expect you to understand me.”

Ephriam stood in stunned silence, feeling a surge of anger run through his body. “Are you implying I wouldn’t be hurt if Eirika died?”

“Wouldn’t you want to find the soldier that killed her? Wouldn’t it kill you on the inside to know that the one who took your remaining family away from you could go home back to theirs? Enjoy their life as nothing had happened? After losing your father to Grado, and not hunting down the ones who killed him, you would just let your sister’s memory be tarnished as well?” Innes knew he’d regret these words at some point. He was hurting, in too much pain, to even let logic dictate his thoughts. “You’d just bury them and never avenge them?”

“Innes!” Ephriam slammed the hilt of his spear into the dirt, unable to remain calm. “My father has nothing to do with this! Of course I’m angry at Grado – of course I don’t want the ruin of my country and father’s death to mean nothing! But this isn’t the answer, and you know it. If you’re going to murder without cause like this, are you any better than the Grado soldiers you hate so much?”

“Excuse me?” Innes fought back the desire to strike him. “I am much better than Grado will ever be. Comparing me to these people… that’s an insult to my honor.”

“Are you? The battle ended, Innes, and you’ve slaughtered soldiers who had nothing to do with it. These could’ve been new recruits, guards…” Ephriam motioned with his free hand to the sea of bodies before them. “I doubt you gave these people the right to speak before jamming an arrow in their throat. Are you really better than them at the moment?”

“They’re all associated with Grado. Of course I am,” Innes snorted. “What if they were going to ambush us? What if we lost more people? What if one of them got Eirika, or L’Arachel? Kyle? Forde? It doesn’t matter if you and Tana were friendly. You didn’t experience the pain of seeing someone close to you bleed out on the battlefield. You didn’t hear their dying words as you sat there like a damn, helpless idiot. You weren’t there, Ephriam, and you don’t get it.”

“I… stop bringing Eirika into this. Stop bringing other people into this,” Ephriam grit his teeth. He didn’t need to imagine a sword being struck through his sister’s chest. “I’m hurt too. Tana was my friend. Of course I’m upset and angry she’s dead. But I know she wouldn’t want you endangering your life out here alone in unknown territory. As I told you before, what good would you be to her memory if you were dead?”

“Shut up, Ephriam! Stop acting so goddamn noble!” Innes spat. “You very well know you’d be this angry if you lost Eirika! Just because you’re so high and mighty doesn’t mean I have to act in the way you want me to!” Innes yanked out another arrow from his quiver. “My job here isn’t done yet, and I will find that soldier who killed her!”

“Innes, you’re coming back to camp,” Ephriam let out an exasperated sigh. “You’re not in the right mind at the moment. We can talk about this later when you’re acting rational.”

“I refuse to go anywhere, especially with you,” Innes took a step backwards. “I don’t need you judging my actions. You’re not stopping me from finding them.”

With that, Innes turned around, arrow clasped firmly in hand. He refused to let Ephriam’s nobility determine his actions. This was his family, his sister, and he had full right to decide on the course of action to take. If Ephriam disagreed with it, he’d get over it. None of that mattered to Innes.

‘Innes, I’m sorry…’ Eprhaim sighed, raising his spear. He felt uncomfortable about potentially harming Innes, yet there was nothing else he could do. Ephriam brought down the wooden end of his spear on the back of Innes’ head, knocking him unconscious. He took Innes’ body over to his horse, gently setting him on the steed. It wasn’t the best course of action to take, Ephriam knew, but it was better than endangering more lives.

Ephriam steered his horse towards the path leading back to camp, exiting the forest. He didn’t want to look at the carnage anymore.

\--

When Innes opened his eyes, he was greeted with the familiar sight of the roof of his tent. Innes bolted upright, wincing at the pain in the back of his head. His arrows and bow were placed on the floor, with a small note attached to them.

‘Sorry, Innes. I had no other way to get you back to camp safely. We’ll hold Tana’s funeral when you’re ready to come out.  
-Ephriam’

Innes wanted to crumple the note in his hand, wanted to rip it to shreds. By now, the soldier was long gone. Innes would never find them.

He tossed the note to the other side of the tent, laying back on the ground. 

“When I’m ready to come out…” he mumbled. 

Seeing her death was one thing. Accepting it was also one thing. Burying her, however, was a task Innes wasn’t ready to face just yet.


End file.
